Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

After Leona left, Emma turned to face Peyton.novelbin

"Mom, what got into you today? How come you suddenly stood up for yourself?"

Peyton's cheeks turned crimson, her lips quivering a bit, still a little shaken by her own boldness. The fear of Leona's revenge loomed over her, given Leona's wealth. Money meant power, unlike them, who came from the boondocks.

"Emma, I just couldn't stand her always putting you down. You were right the other day; we work hard and earn honest money. We don't have to feel inferior to her."

Even though she said that, Emma noticed Peyton's fingers trembling slightly as she held her fork. She was still probably a bit scared from standing up to Leona.

Peyton was like countless mothers around the world, having spent their lives in rural seclusion, never exposed to the broader world. They held onto outdated beliefs, but when they saw their children being bullied, they found the courage to stand up. Emma's eyes welled up. Seeing this change in Peyton was incredibly rare. In Peyton's mind, being poor meant deserving to be bullied, so when Leona first strutted around, Peyton only felt shame. But now, she had begun to learn to resist, even if faintly. Emma took a deep breath and held Peyton's hand.

"Mom, it's okay. We live in a society governed by laws. Leona wouldn't dare do anything to us. If something goes wrong, we'll just call the cops. They're here to help us."

Peyton nodded, the thought of police officers in uniform bringing her some relief.

"You're right. We can always call the cops like we did last time."

Emma had her grievances against Peyton, but despite everything, she chose to bring Peyton along to Beaconsfield, though not without some resentment. But after arriving in Beaconsfield, getting exposed to a broader world and its cultures, she felt a sudden expansion of her perspectives. She sensed Peyton's efforts to change.

Perhaps, growing up meant

forgiving such parents. They didn't

have her just to make her life miserable. They, too, fought their own battles with negativity, bearing the weight of life, and had thought about changing their situation, but her father couldn't change their family's circumstances. Emma had been angry with Peyton, but now she felt sympathy. She knew she had grown inside.

That evening was another live streaming session. During Emma's streams, Peyton usually stayed outside, without any entertainment, just anxious for Emma's session to end. Since Emma streamed from her bedroom, showing half her bed, Peyton dared not sleep on it, fearing she might dirty it or her sleeping posture might accidentally appear on camera, embarrassing her daughter. So she spent her nights on the couch, despite the discomfort, feeling utterly content.

In her live sessions, Emma had been introducing various herbal remedies and sharing wellness tips. However, her channel was still flooded with Leona's fans, making snarky comments. Leona, also streaming, noticed Emma and snickered. Smiling sweetly at her camera, she asked, "Hey, fans, would you like to see me co-stream with another broadcaster?"

Her chat lit up with eager affirmations. A glint of mischief in her eyes, Leona chose to co-stream with Emma. Upon connecting, she feigned surprise.

"I just wanted a normal chat, didn't expect it to turn into a challenge. Wow, this might give Emma a big advantage, given my huge fan base. Oh dear."

Indeed, the co-streaming challenge

split the screen, displaying both broadcasters Fans from both sides entered the same chat, supporting. their favorite through likes and gifts. The loser had to perform a dare or showcase a talent. With Emma's smatter fan base, it seemed she'd be at a disadvantage, likely to be "rubbed in the dirt" by Leona's followers. If Emma ended up having

to perform, it might just turn into her most embarrassing moment.